Blanking machine



Mar ch 12, 1935.

H. M. KOELLIK ER BLANKING MACHINE Original Filed Dec. 15, 19150 6Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR March 12, 1935.

H. M. KOELLIKER I BLANKING MACHINE Original Filed Dec. 6 Sheis-Sheet 2II I l; I I 4 YINVENTOR Herman M /K9Z Z z'ker:

ATTORNEYS,

March 12; 935 H. M. KOELLIKER 1,993,967

' BLANKING MACHINE' Original Fil ed- Dec. 15, 1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 3INVENTOR I H erma/z fli/noei Z en March 12, 1935.

H. M. KOELLIKER BLANKING MACHINE ATTORNEY March 12, 1935. H. M.KOELLIKER BLANKING MACHINE Original Filed Dec. 15, 1930 e Sheets-Sheet 5INVENTOR Herman fl f/foe/Zz/rer.

ATTORNEYS.

March 12, 1935. H. M. KOELLIKER BLANKING MACHINE Original Filed Dec. 15,1930 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTOR H 6/77? an/ Z ri oeZ Z 6%0? BY I fixm yhyZw $44 TTORNEY S Patented Mar. 12, 1935 UNITED STATES,

resist? PATENT orr cs to Baldwin Rubber Michigan Company, a corporationof Application December 15, 1930, Serial No. 502,605

Renewed August 6, 1934 8 Claims.

Manufacturers of rubber floor mats for use in automobiles haveheretofore been confronted with the problem of employing skilled laborfor manually cutting and trimming the floor mats. This practice stillpersists although the more modern manufacturers havedevised apparatus bywhich the floor mats are cut or blanked one at a time from individualblanks previously cut'irom a calender roll. While this latter method offorming the floor mat is somewhatless expensive than the originalmethod, a considerable amount of labor is involved. In the first placethe rubber blank must be formed from the calender roll, a distinctoperation in itself; secondly, these blanks must be positioned by handon the table of a blanking machine;- thirdly, the blanking machine mustbe operated .to form the blank, and, lastly, the blanks must then bemanually removed and the excess material removed and discarded. All ofthis is more or less expensive and consumes a great deal of time,especially in manufacturing the mats under conditions of massproduction. The present invention contemplates the provision of anapparatus which will accomplish the blanking of a great number of rubbermats by continuous and uninterrupted operation and, accordingly, theprincipal object of the present invention is to provide a machine whichwill effect the blanking of these mats with little or no attention onthe part of the operator.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a machine in whichthe rubber material is fed on an endless conveyor to the actual blankingtool and which is provided with a means for momentarily arresting themovement of that portion of the conveyor which supports the materialbeing blanked while the blanking operation is being performed, suchstopping of the material for the blanking operation not necessarilyrequiring stopping of the entire conveyor apparatus.

Other objects of the invention are present and it is thought unnecessaryto enumerate these objects in detail at the present time, it beingsufficient to state that the machine is equipped with numerous auxiliarydepartments all of which contribute toward the production of floor mats,accurately formed and finished, on an extremely economical scale. Theseobjects and advantages of the invention will become more readilyapparent as the nature of the invention is better understood. and thesame consist in the novel construction, combination and arrangement ofparts shown in the accompanying six sheets of drawings, in which- Fig. 1is a view in sideelevation of the machine showing the samein assembledoperative position.

Fig. 2 is an enlargedfragmentary top plan view of one of the conveyorbelt clamping devices embodied in the machine.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 3.3 ofFig. 2 in the direction of the indicated arrows. d

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view in side elevationof the machine Fig. 5 15atop plan view of the machine, the motor for driving the machine beingremoved to illustrate more clearly the nature of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation takensubstantially along the line 6-6 of Fig. 5, looking in the directionindicated. Fig. 7 is an enlarged View in front elevation of the speedcontrol mechanismgfor adjusting. the

relative speed of a clutch operating mechanism employed in connectionwith, the presentflinvention andthe speedof travel ,ofthe conveyor";

Fig.8 is a fragmentary top plan view of the drive .mechanism foroperating the rollers and conveying mechanism.

Fig. 9 is a bottomplan view of a die plate, and

its associated parts g p a Fig. 10 is an enlargedsectional View takensubstantially along the line 10--l0 of Fig. 9.

.Fig. 11 is aviewin fragmentary elevation of part of the clutchoperating mechanism .with the throw-out latch in an operative position.

Fig, 12 is an enlarged sectional view taken substantially along the line12-12 of Fig. 11, and

Fig. 13 is a View in elevationof the braking device for the drive shaftshown in Fig. 6, looking in the direction indicated.

In the construction shown in the drawings, the roll 1 of a standardcalender machine, (driven by a suitable source of power not shown) .ismountedon a shaft 2, one end of which is'provided with a gear 3 whichmeshes with and drives a train of gears mounted between a pair of sideframes 4 and 5. The gear 3 meshes with and drives a gear 6, which inturn meshes with and drives a gear 7. The gear '1 in turn meshes withand drives a gear 8 which meshes with and drives a gear 9. Thegear 9 iskeyed to one end of a shaft 10 which is journalled in spaced bearings 11and 12 carried on a base frame 13.

The shaftlO, betweenthebearings lland 12, has keyed thereto a bevel gear14 which meshes with and drives a bevel gear. 15 secured to one end of ashaft 16, which is journaled ina bearing 1'7 on the base frame 13, theshaft 16 being disposed. substantially horizontally and at right anglesto the shaft 10 and calender roll shaft 2.

The other end of the shaft 16 is journaled in an outboard bearing 18 andthe end thereof protrudes beyond the bearing and has one element of amanually operable clutch 19 slidably keyed thereto.

An upstanding handle 20 is provided near its lower end with a yoke whichembraces opposite sides of the clutch element and engages radiallyextending pins on a ring 21 so that the clutch element may be shiftedaxially on the shaft into and out of engagement with the othercomplementary element of the clutch 19.

The other element of the clutch 19 is rigidly secured to one end of ashaft 22 which is journaled in bearings 23 and 24 carried on a baseframe 25. The shaft 22, at a point between its bearings, has a bevelgear 26 thereto which meshes with and drives a bevel gear 27 keyed toone end of a shaft 28. The shaft 28, which is disposed at right anglesto the shafts 16 and 22, is journaled in a bearing 29 on the base frameand is the shaft which carries the conveyor belt driving roll 32 of theimproved blanking machine.

The shaft 28 is also journaled on a framework 30 in bearings 31 whichare spaced apart and the conveyor belt driving roll 32 is keyed to theshaft between its bearings on the framework 30.

The power drive so far described is so arranged and proportioned thatthe speed of the drive roll 32 will be the same as the peripheral speedof the calender roll 1 so that the sheet of material coming from thecalenders will be carried away by the conveyor belt driven by the driveroller 32.

My improved blanking machine per se comprises generally a substantiallyrectangular horizontally disposed bed plate 35 and is supported at eachof its four corners by legs 36 which are suitably secured to the bedplate by bolts 37. 7 Midway between the supporting legs 36 and at eachside of the bed plate, supplementary supporting legs 38 are providedwhich are secured to the underside of the bed plate adjacent its sideedges by suitable means such as bolts 39. The pair of le s 36 at thefront end of the machine are preferably secured together by a tie rod 40which is secured to integrally formed laterally projecting lugs 41 foradding rigidity and strength to the structure.

The bed plate is provided with a super-structure in spaced relationthereabove which comprises a pair of arch members 42 and 43, the baseends of which are rigidly secured by bolts or the like 44 to integrallyformed upstanding foundation portions or bases 45 located at therespective four cor ners of the bed plate. The arches 42 and 43 aresecured to each other by integrally formed angle shaped cross-tiemembers 46 and 4'7 disposed in spaced parallel relation at each side ofthe apexes of the arches.

A transversely extending horizontally disposed crank shaft 48 isjournalled in the apexes of the arch members 42 and 43 with the oppositeends thereof protruding beyond the outer faces of their respectivearches. The shaft 48 carries a pair of crank arms or connecting rods 49and 50 which extend downwardly therefrom, the lower ends of which arepivotally mounted in upstanding sockets 51 and 52, respectively, formedon the upper side of a vertically reciprocable die head 53.

Means are provided for varying the length of the connecting rods 49 and50 and comprise a shaft 54 journalled adjacent its ends in bearings 55and 56 formed on a cross member 57. The opposite ends of the shaft 54protrude beyond their respective bearings and have bevel pinions 5'7 and58, respectively, keyed thereto which mesh with bevel gears 59 and 60,respectively. The bevel gears 59 and 60 have suitable threaded sleeveand swivel connections with the connecting rods so that rotation of thegears in one direction will lengthen the connecting rods 49 and 50 androtation in the opposite direction will shorten the rods, thus providingmeans for adjusting the die head 53 relative to the bed plate 35.

The die head 53 is generally of rectangular shape and horizontallydisposed so as to be parallel to the bed plate 35 and at each of itsfour corners is provided with vertically disposed integrally formedbosses 61 having cylindrical bores concentrically formed therethrough.The bores in the bosses 61 slidably receive vertically disposed guidepillars 62, the lower ends of which pass through and are rigidly mountedin the bed plate 35 and the upper ends of which pass through suitablyformed bosses on the arch members 42 and 43 and are secured thereto bynuts 63. These four pillars 62 thus tie the bed plate and superstructurerigidly together.

Counterbalancing means are provided for the die head 53 and comprisefour vertically disposed rods 64 which have their lower ends threadedinto upstanding bosses on the top side of the die head in substantiallyrectangular relationship. The upper ends of the rods 64 slidably passthrough suitable openings formed in the laterally projecting flanges ofthe cross-members 46 and 4'7 and extend for a distance therebeyond.Helical compression springs 65 surround the upper projecting ends of therods 64 and bear between adjusting nuts 66 threaded thereon andupstanding bosses 6'7 integrally formed on the upper side of the crossmember flanges.

One of the projecting ends of the crank shaft 48 is provided withbraking means which comprise a pair of members 68 and 69 pivoted on apin '70 mounted in the arch member 43. The members 68 and 69 each haveoppositely bowed arcuate portions which surround and embrace oppositesides of the protruding end of the shaft 48 and are yieldingly urgedthereagainst to slidingly grip the shaft by means of a helicalcompression spring 71. The spring '71 surrounds a protruding end of abolt '72 which passes through the lower ends '73 and '74 of the members68 and 69, respectively, and which bears between a nut '75 threaded onthe outer end of the bolt '72 and the outer face of the adjacent arm 74.

Means are provided for rotating the crank shaft 48 to verticallyreciprocate the die head 53 and comprises an electric motor '76 mountedon a platform '77 which is secured to an integrally formed base orplatform '78 on the arch member 42. The armature shaft of the motor '76is provided with a belt pulley '79 over which passes a drive belt 80.The drive belt passes around and drives a fly wheel 81 journalled on theopposite protruding end of the crank shaft 48. The hub of the fly wheel81 is provided with any well known and customary clutching mechanism bywhich it may drive the shaft 48 when clutched thereto and rotate freelywith respect thereto when the clutch is disengaged, as is common withvarious forms of punch presses and the like. h

Means are provided for actuating the clutch mechanism to cause the flywheel to drive the crank shaft and comprises. unit commercially known asa Reeves speed control 82, which is mounted on an outstanding bracket onshelf 182 F Fig. '4 of the drawings. A

arm of a. :bell crank lever 93 which is pivoted on secured to t-he-machine' 'by bolts or thel-ike. "I his speed control comprisesgenerally a pairof shafts 83 and 84-each "of which carries a pair ofopposed cone-shaped pulley wheels which are driven by 'a' flexiblev-shaped belt 85. The cones on each shaft are axially adjustable towardand away "from each other, the pair on one shaft moving most clearly inFigs. '4 and 1 1 of the drawings,

is "provided with a rigidly mounted cam '89 which verticallyreciprocates a push rod slidably mounted in bearings 91 secured to theouter side of the archmember 42.

The upper end of the push rod 90 normally abuts against a swingablelatch 92 as shown in The latch 92 forms one a pin mounted in the frame42. The latch 9'2 is pivoted on a vertically disposed pin 94 and isprovided with a handle 95 so that it may be manually swung outof'registry with the upper end of the push rod, as shown in Fig. 11 ofthe drawings, whereby'the bell crank lever will not be rocked byvertical"reciprocation of the push rod.

The other arm of the bell crank lever 93 is vertically slotted andembraced by the bifurcated end96 of a horizontally disposed axiallyreciprocable push rod 97 which is mounted in suitable bearings 98. A pin99 passes through the bifurcated end 96 and is embraced in the slotformed in the upstanding arm of the bell crank lever 93.

The opposite end of the push rod 97 is pivoted to the outer end of anarm 101 which is secured to the lower end of a vertically disposed shaft102 j'ournalled in bearings 103. The upper end of the shaft 102 carriesan .arm 104 disposed at right angles to' the arm101, the outer end ofwhich engages with suitable connections in the hub of the fly wheel 81for clutching the fly wheel to the shaft 48 when the arm is rockedclockwise as viewed in Fig. 5 of the drawings.

' Means are provided for carrying the sheet of material from thecalender roll through the blankingmachine over the top surface of thebed plate and comprise an endless conveyor belt .105 which passes aroundthe drive roll 32, over the top surface of the bed plate 35, across adischarge table 106, around a roll'10'7 at the 'far e'ndthereof, backthroughthe discharge table over a series of relatively'small rolls 108,over an idler roll 109 journalled in the medial depending legs 38, undera take-up roll 110 and'over another idler roll 111 journalled betweenthe two legs 36 at the front end of the machine.

The take-up roll 110 is journalled at the outer ends of a pair ofhorizontally disposed spaced parallel arms 112, the inner ends of whichare pivoted on the shaft 113 which carries the idler roll 109, atopposite ends of the roll.

Means are provided for yieldingly pressing down on the take-up roll 110and comprise helical compression springs 114 which surround rods 115 andbear between nuts 116 on the upper ends of the rods and laterallyextending flanges 117 formed on the outer sides of the arms 112 andthrough which the lower. ends of the rods 115 slidably pass. Adjustmentof the springs 1144s secured by movement of the nuts II Gwh'ich-"arethreaded on the rods 115. I i

The conveyor belt 105 is guided laterally as it travels back into theblanking machine below the "bed plate thereof by rollers 118 and 11 9which are journalled at the outer ends'of rigidly-mounted arms 1'20 and121 respectively, shown in Figs. 4 "and 6 of thedrawingsr I Means areprovided fortemporarily 'g i-ppi-ng 'and'stoppin'g movement of thatportion of the conveyor beltwhich passes over the bed plate. 35 andcomprise gripping blocks 122 mounted ad j-acent the four corners of thedie head 53 in-a position to engage the marginal edges of the conveyorbelt and press the same downwardly against the upper surface of the bedplate 35. The blocks 122 are vertically slidable in suitably formedpockets which slidably-embra'ce the blocks. Upward movement of theblocks is against the action of helical compressionsprings-123 which arehoused 'in' spaced vertically disposed cylindrical sockets formed in athickened portion of the die head 53,

as shown most clearly in Figs. 2 and? of -the drawings. I

Threaded studs 124 and 125 are slidably mounted through the end walls oftwo of the sockets 1-26 with the lower ends thereof threaded into theblock 122 and the upper ends thereof ably receives a cutting die 129,the lateraledges of which are beveled to be engaged by themwardlyinclined side edges of the recess for retaining the die on the die head.The die 129 has a series of cutting knives 130 protrudingfrcim thesurface thereof which'outlines'the pieceto be stamped from the strip ofmaterial passing through the machine.

Suitably disposed spring steel strips 131 are located closely adjacentto the cutting knives 130. The strips 130 are-bowed or curved to causeone edge to normally project below the edge of the cutting knife for thepurpose of pushing off the material from the knife when it has been outthereby. Suitable rubber blocks 132 may be interposed under the freeedge of the spring'strips 131 for aiding the spring action thereof.

In the operation of this machine, the calender roll 1 feeds the strip ofmaterial to the conveyor belt 105, which is driven at the same'speed bythe drive roll 32, when the clutch 19 is engaged. The fly wheelBlisconstantly driven by the electric motor 76 through the belt 80 andthe speed control unit 83 is suitably adjusted for actuating theclutchof the fly wheel Slat suitably timed .be blanked from the sheet ofmaterial. I

With the throw-out latch 92 in the position shown in Fig. 4 of thedrawings, the cam 89 of the speed control unit, through the push rod 90,rock the bell crank lever 93 to giveaxial movement to the push rod 97.Ihe push rod 97 in turn rotates the shaft 102 through the arm 101 andcauses the arm 104 to engage the clutch between the fly wheel 81 and themain shaft 48, thereby causing the shaft 48 to drive the die head 53downwardly through the medium of the connecting rods 49 and 50, for onerevolution of the fly wheel and then release the same.

As thedie head 53 approaches the bed plate and just before the cuttingknives 130 engage the strip of material, the gripping blocks 122 contactwith the conveyor belt along the opposite marginal edges thereof andpress it tightly against the upper surface of the bed plate therebystopping movement of the belt momentarily while the cutting knife entersand seversvthe strip of material being blanked.

During this stoppage of the conveyor belt, a slight slack is caused toform in the belt between the drive roll 32 and the front edge of the bedplate, this slack being permitted by upward movement of the take-up rollagainst the action of the compression springs 114 and the weight of theroll.

As the head recedes from the bed plate, the take-up roll 110, aided bythe compression springs 114, causes a quick and accelerated movement ofthe conveyor belt to compensate for the slack thrown in the belt duringthe momentary stoppage of its movement across the bed plate.

If it is desired to stop the reciprocation of the die head for anyreason, the handle 95 of the throw out latch 92 is grasped and the latchrotated on its pivot 94 so that the thickened outer end of the latch isout of registry with the upper end of the push rod 90 thereby permittingthe push rod 90 to vertically reciprocate without rocking the bell crank93 on its pivot 100.

If for any reason it is desired to disconnect the drive roll 32 from thedriving mechanism of the calender roll 1, the upstanding lever 20 ofclutch 19 is grasped and moved to the right as viewed in Fig. 1 of thedrawings thereby axially separating the two elements of the clutch 19 asshown in Fig. 8 of the drawings.

Adjustment of the die head 53 relative to the top surface of the bedplate and belt is secured by rotating the shaft 54, thus causing thepinions 57 and 58 carried at the opposite ends thereof to rotate thebevel gears 59 and 60. The gears 59 and 60 have suitable swivel andthreaded connections for lengthening or shortening the connecting rods49 and 50, depending upon the direction they are rotated.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention has been hereinshown and described, it will be understood that numerous details of theconstruction may be altered or omitted With out departing from thespirit of this invention as defined by the following claims.

What I claim is:

1. The combination in a blanking machine, of a continuously drivenendless conveyor belt for supporting and carrying the material to beblanked, a die head movable into contact with said conveyor belt forblanking the material, and means on said die head for engaging said beltto stop the movement of that portion of the conveyor belt which supportsthe material being blanked while the blanking operation is beingperformed.

2. The combination in a blanking machine, of a continuously drivenendless conveyor belt for supporting and carrying the material to beblanked, a die head movable into contact with said conveyor belt forblanking the material and means for gripping the belt to stop movementof that portion thereof which supports the material being blanked whilethe blanking operation is being performed.

3. The combination in a blanking machine of a stationary table, acontinuously driven endless conveyor belt passing over said table forsupporting and carrying the material to be blanked, a die head movabletowards said table into ,engagement with saidmaterial on said conveyorbelt for blanking the material, and means for clamping said beltstationarily against said stationary table to stop its normal travelwhile the blanking operation is being performed.

4. The combination in a blanking machine of a stationary table, acontinuously driven conveyor belt passing over said table for supportingand carrying material to be blanked, a die head movable toward saidtable into engagement with the material on said conveyor belt forblanking the material, and means on said movable die head for clampingsaid belt stationarily against said stationary table to stop its normaltravel while the blanking operation is being performed.

5. The combination in a blanking machine of a table, a driving roller inspaced relation to said table, an idler roller at the opposite side ofsaid table, an endless conveyor belt passing over said roller and acrossthe top surface of said table for supporting materials to be blanked,said belt having slack therein, a take-up roller bearing on said beltfor keeping it taut, a die head movable towards and away from saidtable, a die on said die head for engaging material on said belt, andmeans carried by said movable die head for stopping movement of and forengaging that portion of said belt resting on said table during theengagement or said die with said material.

6. The combination in a blanking machine of a frame, a table, an endlessconveyor belt for carrying the materials to be blanked, a die headmovable toward and away from said table, having bearings thereon adaptedto ride on bearing rods positioned in said frame, a die on said diehead, and a block positioned in said die head, in advance of said die,for gripping said conveyor belt momentarily while the blanking operationis being performed.

7. The combination in a blanking machine of a table, a continuouslydriven endless conveyor belt passing over said table, for carrying thematerial to be blanked, a die head movable toward said table, a die onsaid die head, and means on said die head for cleaning the material fromsaid die after the blanking operation has been performed comprisingspring steel strips each secured at one end to said die head at pointsaround the edges of said die and bent so that the free ends thereof arenormally disposed in advance of the cutting edges of the die.

8. The combination in a blanking machine, of an endless conveyor beltforcarrying material to be blanked, means for continuously driving saidbelt, a die head movable toward said belt for blanking the material,means on said movable die head for stopping the movement of that portionof the conveyor belt which carries the material in position to beblanked, means for'inoving said die head, speed control means operableby said belt driving means, and means operable by said speed controlmeans for controlling the operation of the means for moving said diehead.

HERMAN M. KOELLIKER.

